During the rainy and king tide season, the Public Works Department deploys temporary diesel pumps to reduce flooding in areas throughout the City. The City has Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) Class V Temporary Dewatering Permits for this type of operation. In recent discussions with the regulatory agency, the implementation of additional water quality treatment systems has been requested when the temporary pumps are set up to discharge directly into the Biscayne Bay. Public Works determined that the purchase of portable 2.55 M HDPE Downstream Defenders by Hydro International is required to meet the additional water treatment requirements.

The stormwater must be treated prior to discharge, using a stormwater treatment system capable of reducing the total suspended solids and turbidity. Due to the significant site constraints associated with typical locations where the temporary pumps are deployed, the portable water quality treatment system must meet stringent requirements, involving significantly reduced footprint while maintaining high rate of contaminant removal.

The portable Downstream Defender System is a well-tested product, by an established manufacturer. This product is patented, and provides the required enhanced treatment performance, flow capacity, materials of construction, no power or water to be required, vac truck accessibility, flexibility and mobility, footprint, and schedule. The Portable 2.55 M HDPE Downstream Defender System by Hydro International meets all of these constraints without exception and has an estimated cost of $52,400 each.

Pursuant to Section 2- 367(d)(2), the Procurement Department publicly released an Intent to Sole Source (ITS) No. 2023-399-NA on March 29, 2023. The Intent to Sole Source (ITS) document provides details to potential bidders on the City's needs and requests that any vendor that believes it can provide the City with the necessary items should submit written notification to the City for consideration. No response to the ITS was received.

Based on the notification from the manufacturers and the results of the ITS, a request to sole source the purchase of four (4) 2.55 M HDPE Downstream Defender Systems in the estimated amount of $209,600 was submitted and approved at the April 28, 2023 City Commission, via Resolution 2023-32576, for purposes of stormwater treatment during king tide events in key locations in the City.

Since the approval of the sole source, interest has risen by City residents to have an HDPE Downstream Defender System installed in their neighborhoods, and as such, additional purchases will be required.